Method of manufacturing and assembling airfoil structures



Nov. 4, 1947.

M. WATTER ET L METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Fil ed March 15, 1945 l9 Sheets-Sheef 1 LEFT ARCH AssErABLY RIGHT ARCH ASMSEMBLY.

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- I 15, 151. I 42 I1 REAR. RIB SECTIONS 18 ,3? 57 I l LOWER LEFT REAIi BLANKET. LOWER Rica-r REAR BLANKET. I

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Michael Wakter Erank P. Bender".

ATTORNEY 19 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

'Nov.4, 1947. M. WATTER ET AL A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES- Filed March 15, 1 943 INSERT FRONT SPAR.

5IWELD To BLANKETS,

Frank P. Bender.

ATTORNEY mhn mun 'Phh mmu E 6 D m mh u m m I D n mm R 0 W R s .W m H o N m a l m D M T w Pa r H m B U m n n mm H1 W B R w m .n M m R. P h v l l l v 0 T s T m m E E LII E E5 T K R K T T G N N N E A 0 e u m 5 mm rllln w w M M G N w k B F wk??? 5 m 5 L m m E r mm 5 o F mm a H o a 1 B B 1 T o m. 5 T m m T m mm n m A. s R 4. K m N N i M m M m m m dhullill B W 5A 0 S 6 ER 4. R E R B PL3 4 w w L 3 u l T L F 1 1 as wk 0 m o i R u 5 a o L fi w m RT E D W W o F P L md n um uu B V m P E S R .DL U W umnn h w W P E r E 1 W W n uu u HI. W 9 u w 1. n A T i A m r1 1 Q 9 C Filed March 15, 1943 19 Shets-Sheet 3 /INSTALL TWO LOWER REAR ELANKETS Nov. 4,' 1947. M. WATTER ET AL METHOD OF IVIANUFACTURINGr AND AS SEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES AHD WELD TO LEADING EDGE AND FRONT BLAHK|ET METHOD OF MAIIU'FACTURING AN D ASSEMBLING AIRF OIL STRUCTURES Nov. 4, 1947. WATTER ET AL 19 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1943 INVENTORS Michael Watter -Fm'nk P. Bender.

.ATTQRNEY Nov. 4, 1947.

M. WATTER' ETQAL METHOD O F MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCElURES l9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1943 l N V EN TORS Michael. Waiter Frank P. Bender BY gw .fixw

- ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1947. M. WATTER ET AL 2,430,438

METHQD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1943 i9 Sheets-Sheet s Mitifiael Wattr Frank Bender" ATTORNEY IINVENTORS Q Nov. 4, 1947. M. WATTER ETAL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES 19 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed March 15, 1943 INVENTORS. Michael Waftet Frank. P. Bender. ea/9M ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1947.. M. WATTER ET AL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1943 19 Sheets-Sheet 8 FORWARD 1N VEN TORS Michael Wat ter Frank P Bender ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1947. I M. WATTER ET AL 2,430,438

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLINC AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1943 19'Sheets-Sheet 9 s a ai m iv 4. j 5:

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E I p i o I V l 0' I a Y g /;9 0'] 9 a: NI ENTORS. I I Mchc1e1Wc1tter i Frankp. Bender. I BY fflv ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 19 47. M. WATTER ET AL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES 19 Sheets- Sheet 10 Filed March 15, 1945 uyyszvroRs M1'JChael Waiter v Frank? Bender BY M i ATTORNEY Nov. 4, '1947. MpwATTER ET AL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFbIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 19 13 19 Shets-Shet 1r I INVENTORS. Michaelwa pter FrcihkQ Bender jar. AT

TORNEY Nov. 4, 1947. M. WATTER ET AL 2,430,438

I METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND'ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1945 19 Sheets-Sheet 12 P16144 v I .INVENTORS.

Michael Wcdcter Frank? Bender BY f 4 TORNEY M. WATTER ETAL METHOD 0 MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Nov. 4, 1947.

Filed March 15, 1943 l9 Sheets-Sheet 15 JNVENTORS V Michael Waiter Frank? Bender.

, I ATTORNEY Nov. 4,-1947. M. WATTER ET AL 2,430,438

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES v Filgl March 15, 1943 19 Sheets-Sheet 14 I N V EN TORS'. Michael Waiter Franl. P. Bender- ATTORNEY Nov: 4, 1947. M. WATTER ETAL 2,430,433

- METHOD MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15; 1945 19 Sheets-Sheet 15 I N VEN TORS.

Frank P. Bender.

Nov. 4, 1947. M. WATTER ET AL METHOD OF MANfiFAGTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1945 l9 Sheets-Sheet 16 1 N VEN TORS. Michaelwoitzr -Frank P. Bender 6 Q A TTORN E Y M. WATTER ET AL Nov. 4, 1947. 2,430,438

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING ATRFOIL STRUCTURES l9 Sheets-Shet 17 Filed March 15, 1943 V IN VEN TORS Michael Watter Fr'unk Bender.

ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1947 M. WATTIIER ET AL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOI'L STRUCTURES l9 heets-Sheet 18 l N VEN TORS M'tchaet Waiter Fmnk P. B QTIdQTI .fnp ATTORNEY Filed March 15, 1,945

. L .M. I IIIII I I mummmmm Nov. 4, 19 47. M..WATTER ET AL METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES l9 Sheets-Sheet 19 Filed March 15, 1943 4: ii l INVEN=TORS Michaelw tte Frank F). Bender ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1947 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND ASSEM- BLING AIRFOIL STRUCTURES Michael Watter and Frank P. Bender, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 15, 1943, Serial No. 479,188

8 Claims. 1 V

This invention relates to improvements in airplane structures and the method of assembly of the same, and more particularly to airfoil sustentation structures of the metal stressed skin type.

Such structures are usually designed to transmit the forces, such as the forces exerted by the air pressur thereon, to the body by a structural system including one or more span-wise extending spars and contour forming ribs transverse to the spars and secured thereto, together with a stressed exteriorly smooth skin sheet covering the spars and ribs and secured thereto.

Such structures have heretofore usually been built around the spars, the spars being suitably set up in a jig and the rest of the structure built thereon while so set up. This prolonged the assembly operation because the number of workmen which could be effectually employed in the restricted space around the jig was limited. Furthermore, if the framework and spars are first assembled in the usual manner and the skin sheet then applied, difficulty is experienced, because of the relatively shallow section and great chordwise depth of the structure, in obtaining ready access for the attachment of the skin sheet, particularly since it is desirable to have all parts of the exterior surface exposed to the airflow, smooth and free from projections which would lower the aerodynamic efficiency of the structure as a Whole.

It is an object of the invention to facilitate the manufacture of such structures by constructing them of a plurality of convenient subassembly structures, which can each be separately assembled on a suitable jig where ready access can be had to secure the parts of the subassemblies together, and to provide such subassemblies with freely accessible final assembly joint structures permitting their ready joinder to each other in the final assembly with a relatively small number of joining operations. To some extent, the order in which the subassemblies are brought together and joined in the final assembly further accelerates the final assembly operation.

Another object is the provision of a very strong structure as compared with its weight and one which has a longer life than the usual such structure.

To achieve this object, the parts entering into the structure are preferably made of sheet metal having a high strength-weight ratio and high resistance against fatigue, such as high-tensile stainless steel, and the parts are further designed of such section as to impart great strength when joined together. Also the parts entering into the subassemblies and the final assembly joint structures are so constructed and arranged as to permit their easy assembly by simple spot welding operations. The joints are so arranged that substantially the full strength of the material is developed. Spot welding of the parts to make the joints is preferred, because it eliminates the necessity of providing rivet holes, which tend to weaken the structure, and further avoids the necessity of providing counter-sinks for the rivet heads if these are in a position where they would interfere with the smooth air flow over the outer surface of the structure.

It is to be understood, however, that many of the features of the novel structure and method of assembly of the invention are not limited to the particular means used for joining the parts together. Other and further objects and the manner in which they are attained will become clear from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an exploded view of the airfoil structure, namely, a horizontal stabilizer, to which the invention has been shown applied, showing separately the various parts and subassemblies, which when assembled as shown in the succeeding views, Figs. 2 to 13, will result in the completed structure,

Figs. 2 to 13, inclusive, are a series of views showing the various successive steps which may conveniently be employed in the assembly of the airfoil structure,

Fig. 14 is an exploded view in cross section taken chordwise of the airfoil in a lateral region thereof, the view being on an enlarged scale showing in detail, th top and bottom skin blankets, a, typical rib and the nose or leading edge portion of the airfoil each in their preassembled form,

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14, but with the parts in their finally assembled relation,

Fig. 16 is an exploded enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing in detail the final assembly joint parts of the preassembled units of Fig. 14,

Fig. 17 is a View similar to Fig. 16, but with the units in their finally assembled relation,

Fig. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a form of a two-part clip used for the connection of the skin blankets to the ribs,

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary spanwise sectional view through the central portion of the upper front skin blanket assembly before it has been bent to 

